Mostly battle reports of games of Warhammer 40k, and some hobby and tactics stuff as well.

Sep 21, 2014

Medina Tri Campaign (week 4): Eldar vs Black Legion

So my first game in the campaign! And I'm all ready looking like the underdog... the Eldar has been sitting uncontested and has been able to concentrate on economy putting him at a very scary 2500p army. That's a hefty 300p advantage, and to make matters even worse for me he has no less than FOUR Wave Serpents! Uphill battle indeed! All ready beforehand I have taken the stance that I expect to lose, but due to the current situation on the map I felt forced to act. I couldn't let him get this hex uncontested, so my goal is simply to damage his forces as much as I possibly can while staying somewhat intact myself, setting up for a second round later in the campaign. And not even that is an easy task, considering I will have to chase around to board to get to him... a challenge indeed. Should I win however I sit in a really nice spot in the campaign! Play big, win big? We will see how it goes...

Lists

+++ Division Deathhammer (2219pts) +++

+++ 2500pt Chaos Space Marines: Supplement - Black Legion (2013) +++

+ HQ +

* Lord Osiris - Chaos Lord

Melta bombs, Sigil of corruption, Veterans of the Long War, Plasma Pistol, Power Axe, Mark of Slaanesh, Skull of Ker'ngar

Pre Game

For Warlord traits he rolled the one that grants Move Through Cover within 12" of Warlord, and I got the one that lets me re-roll Chaos Boons. For Powers he got Guide, Prescience and Invisibility for his Farseer, and Conceal/Reveal for his Warlock.
We decided to play a Maelstrom-mission and got the one where you draw number of Objectives equal to the turn number with Hammer and Anvil deployment. I won the roll off to choose sides, and I also won the roll off to decide who goes first (we house rule and use the sixth edition way where the one who deploys first goes first), and chose to go first.
I deployed on both flanks, favouring my left flank and having a smaller force on the other flank. I would've liked to be all on the same flank, but due to a huge mountain in the middle and the Hammer and Anvil deployment I couldn't quite fit on one flank so decided to split up a bit. The Warpsmith Shatter Defences on the ruins.
There was no Night Fight, and he didn't manage to seize.

Turn 1 - Black Legion

I drew the Objective that grants D3 for holding 3 Objectives so I basically moved my units forward that needed to get closer, and stayed back to shoot with the rest. Pretty lucky shooting actually, Blastmasters and Obliterators causing 2 Pens on one Wave Serpent, but both are downgraded to Glances, Havoc Launcher causes one wound on the Mantarch and kills a Guardian. On the other flank Obliterators cause a stunned result on a Wave Serpent, and the Chosen Rhino with Warpflame Gargoyles fires at the Guardians killing three and causing Soul Blaze. Soul Blaze then kills another one. I manage to hold three Objectives and gets the full 3 VPs.

Turn 1 - Eldar

The Eldar draw the Objective to kill a unit from Shooting. The shuffle a bit like Eldar do, the Warp Spiders comes out from hiding, the Mantarch as well goes for the Bikers that I left exposed. The entire flank shoots at them and eventually kills them, granting Eldar both First Blood and their Objective. The War Walkers kills a Rhino despite failing both Guide and Prescience on them. The rest of the Shooting basically missed or failed to go through armour.

Soul Blaze than caused a mighty 5 wounds on the Guardians, killing the Bright Lance in the process.

Turn 2 - Black Legion

I drew Objectives to kill a Psyker and hold one of the Objectives that I was all ready close to with my now disembarked CSM from the destroyed Rhino. My Heldrake came on, and the stuff that moved forward last time continued to move forward. Heldrake, Assault Cannons from Oblits and Noise Marines focussed on the Warp Spiders, killing all but three and Pinning them. The Heldrake also managed to cover the Mantarch and causes another wound on him. On the other side Oblits shoots Assault Cannons at the Guardians in the ruins trying to thin them out, and together with Havoc Launcher they kill all but the Warlock. The Warlock then takes a full 6 wounds from Soul Blaze and dies, giving me a VP. In the middle the Maulerfiend charges a Wave Serpent and causes a single HP. I really missed my Magma Cutters here...

Turn 2 - Eldar

In case you wonder, in the Eldar army you become an Exarch by putting on a condom.

He drew two Objectives that was rather difficult to score this round. Both Crimson Hunters arrive, Guide once again failed on the War Walkers. The Mantarch cowardly hides behind a hill next to the Farseer.

Chosen Rhino is Immobilized and takes another Glance, the remaining Rhino is Shaken. War Walkers kills the Maulerfiend as all saves are failed, and the Exarch Crimson Hunter scores three hits at the Heldrake who also fails every save despite jinking.

No VPs scored.

"I'm going to stand up there because I can!!!"

Turn 3 - Black Legion

I draw one Objective to have three units 12" from my Deployment Zone and a Secure Objective which is within my reach as well as a third one I don't remember.
Rhinos fail to repair themselves, despite the Warpsmith. Obliterators on one sides fired Twin-linked Plasma Guns at the non-Exarch Crimson Hunter, making it Jink and gets one HP through. The other Oblits cause a pen on one of the Wave Serpents, but it's downgraded to a Glance. Blastmasters shoot at another Wave Serpent, one scatters off and kills a couple of Guardians the other hits and pens though, but is downgraded to a Glance so no explosion. My CSM manages to make a 6" run and thus narrowly gives me 3 units within 12" of my table edge. I score 2 VP's.

Turn 3 - Eldar

Non-Exarch Crimson Hunter flies off. Invisibility is cast on the Wraithguard. Guide on War Walkers once again fail... The remaining Warp Spiders and Guardians manages to finish off the two Obliterators on their side of the board with a lot of rending hits. Wave Serpents finish off both Rhinos, but nothing is Pinned. Exarch flyer shoots at the Chosen, two Precision Shots are scored on the Chaos Lord, he decided to tank them and takes a single wound. Night Spinners and a Wave Serpent kills 4 of the Marines from the other Rhino leaving the Champion alive.

Don't remember what Objectives he got, but notes says he scored 2 VP's.

Turn 4 - Black Legion

Running out of things on the board at this point. I got two to hold the Objectives in the forest and the one next to the Chosen. So I didn't move the Chosen despite wanting to get them closer to the enemy. Obliterators shoots Assault Cannons at the Mantarch as they could just see him sticking out from his hiding place... one of the scored wounds turns up a 1 on the cover save... but the re-roll from the Mantle saves him. Blastmasters manage to finish off the Warp Spiders and due to scatters also kills a couple of Guardians and score a pen on one of the War Walkers. The lone CSM Champion with a Power Fist just barely fails his charge at a Wave Serpent. Had he made it and killed the Serpent I would've scored another Objective.
I score those two Objectives I mentioned earlier, the one in the forest due to the Marines once again making a clutch run move giving them just enough distance.

Turn 4 - Eldar

Invisibility fails, and Guide on War Walkers fails yet again... those War Walkers really didn't want to be Guided this game! Wraithguard unleashed D-Scythes on Noise Marines, and together with War Walkers kill all but the two Blastmasters, a single Noise Marine and the Champion. A Wave Serpent kills the Marines who had been running back and forward all game, another kills the lone Champion. Night Spinners and Wave Serpents wither down the Chosen, the flyer Exarch kills the last Obliterators.

He scored one 1 VP for holding the Objective on his side.

Turn 5 - Black Legion

Noise Marines shoots at the Mantarch, but scatters off to kill two Wraithguard while the Mantarch is untouched. Chosen and Warpsmith shoots meltas at the closest Wave Serpent, and forgetting he shot the Shield last turn he decides not to jink. The Warpsmith causes a pen, and it's a lucky explosion! 2 Dire Avengers die from the explosion.
Cultists and Chosen score two VP's for me again.

Turn 5 - Eldar

Due to it being late we called this the last turn. Noise Marines are killed off by Mantarch and Wraithguard. Dire Avengers takes their revenge from last time and kills 3 Chosen, and combined shooting kills the rest of the unit including the Warpsmith, only the Chaos Lord survives with a single wound left. The Crimson Hunter Exarch kills three Cultists including the champion for lack of targets. He scores Linebreaker with the Mantarch.

Final result is a Chaos victory, 11-8!

Casualties

So for the campaign results, the Eldar lost the Warp Spiders but the Exarch was only wounded. One of the Wave Serpents stayed dead. Most of the rest came back.

I was not as lucky with my rolls however... Every single squad that was killed off stayed dead, but most of the Champions survived - leaving me with a bunch of 1 man-squads. The Chosen stayed dead, including the hero Rhino. One of the CSM squads died as well, only the Rhino surviving. 3 of the 4 Obliterators stayed dead. But both the Heldrake, Maulerfiend and Warpsmith stayed in the Campaign.

Analysis

So. I knew I was in for a rough one playing against 4 Wave Serpens and a 300p deposit, so I'm quite happy I managed to squeeze out a win by playing the mission and resisting the temptation to run off and try to kill stuff. But the after-game results really made it into a pyrrhic victory... it feels like one of these "we won the battle, but may still lose the war". We'll see how that turns out. As for the game itself I was really unhappy with the Hammer and Anvil deployment (as if I wasn't all ready having a uphill battle!) which messed up my deployment and ultimately cost me my bikers turn 1. I really didn't like splitting up this way either, but seeing as I had no choice to stay effective and also avoid those artillery pieces etc. In the end it was my shooting that did work, which is very unusual for my CSM. This also resulted in very little experience points for my Characters unfortunately... so even if they survived they're still scrubs. I will have to change things up for next battle, I really need to keep more units alive. Might be too difficult vs Eldar though. Puts me in a interesting position for the campaign however!